A delegation of the China Council for Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) made a journey to the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone, on Jan 16, to get a closer look at its infrastructure and cultural heritage development, the Pingtan Times has reported.

CCPIT is a non-governmental trade organization of economic and trade leaders, companies, and groups. Its overseas representatives conduct study trips every year to China for work report. This year took them to Fujian, with Pingtan as one of the stops.

They were met by Liang Qinlong, the vice-director of the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone.

Liu Fenghua, CCPIT's chief Hong Kong and Macau representative, expressed optimism about Pingtan's future.?He said that, in addition to infrastructure, as the delegation had suggested, Pingtan needs to pay attention to cultural heritage protection, such as its traditional stone houses, to make the city a pilot area with unique characteristics.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Roger Bradshaw.